Mattie and the Myths
by an-endeavor
Summary: Mattie meets Lucien and Jean when she is a child and they let her into their secret world of caring for mystical creatures and mythical beings. As soon as she learns she wants to be a part of this strange world, she also learns there are people intent on destroying it. au.
1. Chapter 1

Everyone knows the rumors about a place known to the locals as "the offices down below" but very few take it as truth. "No darling, there's no such thing as magical creatures and enchanted objects," the mothers will tell their children as they drag them along the storefronts. Most believe it's a secret government ruse made up to keep people distracted if they even believe in it at all. The children in their early teen years often search for this mysterious place, more often using it as an excuse to flirt and flaunt their bravery. But Mattie knows better.

At the young age of eight, having just moved to Ballarat, she discovered it while walking to school. She took quite a tumble while chasing what appeared to be an injured cat and somehow landed herself in the "offices down below", as is their common name in the stories. After uprighting herself, she opened her eyes to strange creatures and her ears were spooked by voices carrying from a different room. Her knee had found itself scraped and sore so running was not her best option. Terrified and alone she hid herself in the nearest closet and hugged her knees to her chest hoping that would give her some form of protection. _So this place was real_ , she thought, a thought who's reality left her feeling uncertain. After all it was the first thing the other children whispered about at school. What were those creatures and what kind of people would be in charge of them?

That's when she heard them clearly for the first time.

"Oh Lucien I wish you would be more careful. The shirts I can mend but you -"

"Oh now Jean I was fine. I just startled him is all, see? -she heard a rustling sound- "we're all squared away."

The woman's voice, Jean, made a sound like she was not convinced but wasn't going to argue about it.

"Now just let me grab a new coat and -"

The door to Mattie's hiding place swung open and the woman gasped.

"Lucien"

"What?" He looked over to the the women still reaching for his coat.

The woman was beautiful. Her brown hair curled to perfection, lips sporting a bright red and the eyes that caught Mattie were a sharp gray. Those eyes gave him a more pointed look as she nodded her head towards Mattie but then softened once they landed on her. These people didn't seem awful but they worked in the offices down below, she saw the weird creatures for herself. How could Mattie really know who or what they were?  
The man knelt down towards her and she tried her best not to flinch. There was nothing necessarily wrong with him. Aside from the torn shirt and jacket. He had a soft look about him but a strong, broad build which Mattie thought was odd for a man.

"And who are you?" He questioned with a soft voice, often directed at fragile children.

"Mattie. Mattie O'Brien."

"Well I'm Lucien and this is Jean" he said gesturing at the woman who gave a reassuring smile.

"Would you like to come out of that old closet and maybe have some lunch and chat? It's much less crowded out here."

She shook her head vigorously. No. The closet was safe.

He looked down and saw her knee clearly now. It was worse for wear.

"Mattie, I see your knee may be hurt. I'm a Doctor, can I look at it?"

Well it did hurt. Slowly she pushed her leg towards him, wincing when he prodded at it. Realizing it could use a proper look, she allowed them to take her into his surgery to get a proper look.

She stared at the woman in the room, Jean, she felt safe. Jean gave Mattie a sympathetic smile as Lucien began cleaning Mattie's knee.  
She sucked air in sharply as the antiseptic stung her wound and suddenly a creature resembling a sloth with an owls face and shorter nails, only it was a dark fuchsia and brown color, climbed into the room at a pace much faster than the sloths Mattie had seen at the zoo. Her eyes grew wide as it approached her and she looked to Jean for an answer.

"It's alright darling, that's just Asa. He just wants to make you feel better."

Mattie watched wide eyed as Asa approached her and reached out an arm to her forehead. Upon contact her knee stopped hurting and Mattie looked up at Lucien in confusion. He nearly chuckled as he reached up for Asa to wrap around him.

"He heard your scream and wanted to make sure you were okay. He doesn't like to hear children in pain and he has the ability to take it away. Of course your knee is still scraped, now you just don't have to feel it."

Mattie was now full of wonder as she reached to pat Asa's head.

"Thank you" she muttered dreamily as Asa squinted his eyes in contentment.

Once that was settled and Mattie was fully bandaged, Lucien began asking about her parents and where she came from. She tried to answer as best as she could but she was afraid and couldn't remember much. She wasn't even sure how she got down here in the first place. With that Lucien asked to speak with Jean outside but Mattie could still hear them behind the wall.

"Lucien this poor girl is scared half to death."

"I know, I'm going to speak to Matthew to see what he can do. Will you stay with her?"

"Yes of course"

The voices lowered and Mattie could no longer hear them until they returned to the room informing Mattie of what she already heard.

After bidding Lucien goodbye, Mattie and Jean made their way upstairs ( _upstairs? How did I even get downstairs?_ Mattie silently asked herself) to a kitchen. Sitting down as Jean put food in front of her, Mattie took a moment to consider Jean. Jean was warm and had a patient, loving nature about her that Mattie often wished her own mother had. Her own mother. Just like that Mattie had forgotten about her sandwich and began to cry again, a fierce cry that often lead to uncomfortable hiccups later. When Jean saw the child's distress she was instantly kneeling at her side and the child was in her arms.

"Shh, it's alright darling. You're okay." She cooed while smoothing down the girls hair and rubbing her back. Mattie wasn't sure how long she had been there, wrapped in this strangers embrace, an embrace that felt like home. She suddenly pulled back embarrassed, wiping her tears roughly with the back of her fist.

"I'm sorry" she choked out, eyes concentrating on the floor instead of Jean. She felt a hand softly lift her head, bring her eyes toward Jean whose own eyes carried a soft expression.

"Don't be sorry" she spoke in a gentle voice, using the backs of her fingers to brush away Mattie's tears. "I want to show you something, would that be alright?"

Mattie nodded, not trusting her own voice and took Jean's outstretched hand. She guided her back the way they came and into a room that reminded Mattie of a pet store if it had been drawn by a four year old. There were strange creatures unlike any she had seen or heard before, all different colors and textures. If it wasn't for the steady weight of Jean's hand that remained from the kitchen to her present location, Mattie would have thought she was dreaming, or had hit her head during her tumble.

"Where am I?" Mattie questioned, eyes never leaving the strange moving creatures but squeezing Jean's hand a little harder.

"You, my love, are in the Center for mystical beings and mythical objects."

Before she had any time to act or consider an action, Mattie heard a new voice coming from across the room.

"Now Frank you should know better by now. I don't want to have to fix you up every week."

This voice shook Mattie out of her awestruck wonder.

"Now if you want to instigate bar fights between men that's your business but you can't keep getting caught." She paused for a moment as if listening to someone Mattie couldn't hear. "Yes I know you're a grown telepanzee but Jean and Lucien have a hard enough time as is without having to get you out of trouble too. You're just lucky the superintendent is on our side."

The voice sounded proper and no nonsense as if the woman it belonged to was a tired doctor talking to an unruly patient. Mattie looked over to find a woman in a doctors coat talking to what appeared to be some kind of ape with shaggy long hair and a stripe of blue lining his eyes and knuckles. It's head was down and it's waddle gave off an air of shame which made Mattie giggle. How strange to see her scolding this creature.  
Upon hearing Mattie the woman stopped short.

"Oh goodness, Jean who is this?" The woman inquired, eyes shifting from Jean to Mattie. Mattie was too busy staring at the peculiar creature known as Frank to notice the woman's hesitation.

"This is Mattie," Jean chimed, smiling down at the girl and giving her hand a reassuring shake.

"Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Alice Harvey." The woman said, a hint of pride at claiming her title.

"Dr. Harvey is our Doctor here, in charge of all mystical patients," Jean explained.

"Speaking of which I must be going, Frank, here needs to finish his check up. Lovely meeting you Mattie."

She started to walk away but stopped short once again.

"Now I said no"

Frank's shoulders slouched and he shifted his gaze from Dr. Harvey to Jean, who let out a heavy sigh.

"Okay but let me talk to her first." She addressed the ape and then turned to Mattie, kneeling down to her level.

"Mattie," she began, brushing Mattie's hair behind her ear. Mattie determined that Jean must be a mother. No one else fussed over her quite like a mother did. "Frank wants to talk to you but he doesn't communicate like us, alright? Don't be scared, love."

She straightened up and Mattie once again took her hand, worried yet intrigued at the mystery of this creature. Jean nodded at the ape and he looked at her.

 _Well hello Miss Mattie._

Mattie jumped and looked at Jean, who was smiling at her, then back to Frank. She heard the words in her head but his mouth didn't move.  
"Frank is a telepath" Dr. Harvey explained, "he speaks with his mind and can read your thoughts."

Mattie was too awestruck to speak but couldn't help enormous grin that grew on her face.

"Well" Dr Harvey began a bit awkwardly after a brief pause, "we really need to be going now."

 _Don't worry kid, you're safe here._

Frank gave her a wink and headed off in front of the Doctor.

Upon her exit, Alice gave Jean a questioning look which was countered with an "I'll explain later" look.

Mattie wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed,quite a bit she would imagine, but she was just starting to settle down when the phone rang. Jean informed her that it was Lucien at the police station and it was time for them to go in hopes of reuniting her with her parents. She felt instant relief but a tiny hint of disappointment that she had to leave this magical place.

"Now Mattie you can't tell anyone about what's down here. I know that's asking a lot but it's our secrecy that keeps everyone safe."  
Mattie suddenly grew very serious and nodded her head.

"Yes of course, I understand," she said with a sincerity that both surprised and endeared Jean. "Will I be able to come back and visit?" She inquired somewhat desperately.

Jean smirked.

"Oh I think we'll be able to work something out."

She had the feeling she would have a hard time withholding anything Mattie wanted from her.

Mattie willingly kept up with Jean's pace making their way down a familiar hall towards the same closet she had first hid herself in but when they got toward the end she furrowed her brow and frowned. It seemed that Jean opened a door that lead them directly into a wall. Mattie halted instantly before getting too close and looked at Jean as if she had taken leave of her senses. This elicited a chuckle from Jean. She had gotten so used to walking this way that she forgot it wasn't seemingly conventional.

"I promise this is the way out. One of our friends here puts up what we like to call a 'glimmer'. It makes you think you're seeing something that actually isn't there. It's actually how you got here. Lucien had left the door open, on his way out, and you must have tumbled right through it."  
Seeing the incredulous look the girl was giving her, Jean reached out her hand.

"You can trust me."

Mattie hesitated but took her hand anyway. After everything she has seen so far, an imaginary wall seemed to be the least of her worries. She allowed Jean to lead her and let her travel a bit ahead of her. Approaching the wall she held her breath and closed her eyes, allowing Jean to pull her the rest of the way through. Feeling relatively unscathed she opened her eyes which instantly grew wider. This was the street she had been on before she tripped. Well she was more-so in someone's garden but the street wasn't far off. She remembered that name plate that was a few feet from them. The one that said "Dr. Blake's surgery."

"But I thought the offices were down below?" Mattie questioned, half to Jean, half to herself.

"They are darling, right under the house" she pointed to the house to which the garden belonged, "I would have taken you through the house but I thought you would like to see how you got through the first time."

Mattie blushed, slightly embarrassed at the prospect of Jean thinking she had run through her garden without permission.  
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to run through your garden. I know I shouldn't have but there was a cat and he looked hurt and so I tried to get him to help him but then I tripped and the I ended up here." It all came out quickly and all at once as she fought the tears brimming, worried Jean would be upset with her.

Jean just smiled softly instead.

"Ah you must have seen Jerry. He likes to run in and out of here. He's still recovering but that's a story for another day."

Giving her hand a squeeze, she started forward, "Now come along we've got get you to the station to find your parents."  
Mattie felt her head spin but one thing she knew for sure was that she wanted to come back as soon as she could.

* * *

(Note: Okay, this was my first attempt at a fic so I was a little nervous. I'm hoping to improve on my upcoming chapters! Also shout out to City Homicide fans with Jerry the cat. I could talk about him more if anyone's interested. Thanks for reading my little attempt, I hope you liked it!)


	2. Chapter 2

Mattie spent most of the next few school days practically bouncing off her seat. It was only a few days until she was allowed to go back to the place she only thought she could dream of. She had been worried that her plan of seeing those creatures again would be crushed by her parents and it almost was. It wasn't until they had a few dinners at the Blake residence and Jean had convinced them that Mattie was no trouble and would in fact be a delight to have over. She could even play with her nephew who often came over after school, they were about the same age. Lucien had thrown in a few helpful comments about helping her with school and teaching her new things to get ahead (although Mattie knew she didn't need the help she was excited to learn all she could). With this her parents conceded, after all she needed a place to go after school while her parents were running errands.

She had a secret that no one else could know and that made her feel special. But there was one boy in her class who made her feel both annoyed and more recently suspicious.

Danny Parks was the first person in her class to tell her about the rumors of the "offices down below". She knew what he was doing, flaunting his story telling skills to gain popularity, and she found him to be a mild irritation. She didn't know why anyone would believe his stories of the otherworldly creatures who were secretly located just under their noses. She would merely respond to him with a raised eyebrow and an eye roll. That was until she had found herself in The Center surrounded by the creatures he had described perfectly. That left her feeling suspicious. How did he know about all this and if he really did know then why was he telling everyone?

Determined to find out, Mattie dragged him by the wrist behind a tree before class one day.

"How do you know about everyone at the Center?" She whispered conspiratorially, half afraid someone would hear

"What Center?" He yawned, feigning indifference, "I'm just a really good story teller," he added, giving her a smile before he turned on his heal and strutted away. Mattie glared after him but decided he wasn't worth her trouble. She knew the truth and she wasn't going to be the one to give it all away. Especially not on the day she was supposed to finally visit Jean and Lucien and their bizarre shelter.

It was that day she found herself face to face with Danny once again.

Upon seeing him discussing kangawomp care with Lucien in the kitchen, Mattie couldn't hold her words in, barely allowing Jean to finish her introduction of her nephew.

"I knew you knew!" She declared with a heavy load of satisfaction, sitting across from Danny at the table while he laughed, quite amused with himself.

Jean sighed and gave her nephew a pointed look, feeling like her oncoming reproach was going to go unheard as it usually did.

"Danny Parks how many times do I have to tell you? What we do here isn't a game and it isn't okay to put it in jeopardy to impress your friends" she scolded.

"Aw, come on Auntie Jean!" Danny all but whined, "it's funny and it scares all the girls." He finished looking rather smug.

Mattie rolled her eyes and Lucien hid his grin behind his newspaper. He couldn't help but feel amused at the boys antics, he barely even kept the secret himself as a boy. Sometimes he believed that was half the reason his father sent him away, a dark thought he kept under lock and key. But nonetheless if it weren't for Jean, Lucien was sure he would have slipped and informed the whole town of their secret world.

Jean for her part was slightly exasperated. Mattie and Danny already knowing each other had saved the awkwardness but she had raised two bickering boys before and she recognized the patterns that were already beginning to form. She could tell that Mattie and Danny would constantly be giving each other a run for their money. With that she gave a slight smirk. She missed having that youthful energy in her care. Most of the joy of her own children had been lost when they lost her Christopher and then they grew up and left. It warmed her to see these children fuss at each other, completely unaware of the weight the world brought on.

"Alright, I'm sure you're both excited to go down and see everyone," Jean started, sitting at the table and resting her chin on her folded hands. Mattie's eyes grew wide with excitement and Danny sat up straighter. "But first lets discuss some rules," she said with a false sense of excitement.

Danny looked at Lucien with an incredulous expression. He chuckled, putting his newspaper down.

"I'm afraid Jean's right on this. Your safety is most important."

Mattie hung on every word they said. She now knew to avoid the éin solais who resembled finches with glowing wings but had sour dispositions. The idea that they were thought of as faeries in their native home intrigued her but not enough to go near them. She supposed she would grow grumpy too if she lived her life being chased and tugged at by children.

Among others that stuck in her mind were the creatures Danny had referred to as "ugly mud sprites". Mattie thought the name was appropriate when she saw them but unlike Danny she kept her mouth shut. Against Lucien's warning that they had terribly fragile egos, Danny made jokes of their appearance and found himself caked in mud.

"Serves you right," Mattie shouted, safely hiding behind Jean, laughing with Lucien at Danny's expense.

Mattie felt like her eyes had opened for the first time and as she dragged her feet back home all she could think about was her next visit.


	3. Chapter 3

_(I decided to forward a bit, making Mattie about 10 now instead. Just a little snippet between the plot.)_

* * *

Mattie had been downstairs checking on Asa, she had tried to take over Danny's chores after he moved to Melbourne, when she heard thuds coming from the kitchen. Lucien had already left to go check out a lead which meant the slamming of cabinets and clanging of pans had to be from Jean. That was very uncharacteristic of her. In fact, she had only seen Jean this way once in the past two years she's known her.  
With that in mind Mattie went to investigate, walking quietly, not making a sound. When she peeked her head around the corner she could see Jean had tears creeping across her cheeks, her expression sullen. Seeing Jean like that made Mattie's chest feel tight as she stepped around the corner.

"Jean?"

Spotting the girl, Jean quickly turned her back to her.

"Mattie, can I get you something?" She asked the counter while attempting to wipe away her tears with subtlety.

In the midst of composing herself she felt slender arms wrap around her hips and a head came to rest against her side. She felt her heart squeeze at the amount of compassion that this little girl had and instinctively pulled her closer. She was really beginning to love her.

"I'm sorry you feel sad," Mattie whispered, making no move to release her comforting hold.

Jean shifted to kneel in front of Mattie.

"Don't worry about me darling, I'm fine," Jean said softly as she brushed Mattie's hair behind her ear, a move Mattie had come to take much comfort in.

"Okay" was Mattie's simple reply. She reached out to brush off a stray tear that had escaped to Jean's cheek. She knew better than to pry. She would let Jean keep it to herself for now. "Shall I make us some tea then?"

"I'll get it, you sit down." Holding Mattie's chin between her forefinger and thumb, she lifted her face to give it one more look over then smiled and shooed Mattie to the kitchen table. She turned back to the counter and once again began prepping to make tea.

Yes, this day was hard for Jean but with Mattie's presence she could hold herself together for yet another year.


	4. Chapter 4

"You have torn apart everything your father has built here! These creatures need your care, they rely on us to keep them safe and you've ruined all of it because you can't take the time to care about anyone but yourself! If I hadn't done something we would have lost it all!"

Mattie stopped dead in her tracks upon hearing Jean's shouting. She was too afraid to enter the house and interrupt but she didn't want to miss anything so she stayed out in their yard clinging to their mail. She panicked when Jean threw the front door open in preparation to storm out, not thinking of anything better to do than stand frozen in place.

Upon seeing the girl, Jean cursed herself and immediately went from feeling rage to guilt. She knew Mattie had heard at least a portion of their fight. She hadn't exactly kept her voice down.

"You heard us didn't you?" she questioned, going to kneel in front of the girl.

"I um- I didn't mean to - I," Mattie stuttered, keeping her eyes down on her hands.

Jean pulled her into her arms, rubbing her back, hoping to make Mattie feel more calm than she did at the moment, thanking God when she felt her relax into her hold.

"I'm sorry if we upset you. Everything's alright, darling, I just need to go for a while. Lucien's inside and I'm sure he would love to see you," she brushed her hand across Mattie's cheek. Mattie thought her smile looked forced but didn't say anything. She just nodded and headed inside. She found Lucien slouched in his chair in the study.

"Ah Mattie! How was school?"

Mattie thought his smile looked as forced as Jean's did.

"Fine. I, uh, got your mail." she replied, handing the stack of letters to him. She could still feel the tension in the room as if it were a thick fog. She watched as he picked out a letter, throwing the rest to the side, and opened it with eagerness. She could physically see his mood pick up and he continued to read the letter. He ran out of the room and mattie could hear him ring and ask her to take over the Center for a few weeks. He blew back into his office and began writing a letter and placed it into an envelope, writing Jean's name on it. Mattie was too stunned to ask what had happened or what he was doing. His mood shift left her feeling incredibly confused.

"Mattie something very exciting has just happened and I have to go." He ran upstairs and packed his suitcase. The next thing Mattie knew, she was dropped off with her mother and Lucien left, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Take care of Jean and keep an eye on Frank for me," he added before almost running out the door.

* * *

(Note: I'm really excited about the next upcoming chapters! I feel they are much more put together and enjoyable but we'll see.)


	5. Chapter 5

Mattie was filled with excitement as Jean parked the car across from the bus stop. Spending the week at the Blake residence while her parents went to a conference was exciting enough but Jean letting her ride along to pick up Lucien was almost more than she could handle. Weeks had turned into months while he went to visit his daughter and Mattie was itching to see him again and load him with questions. She practically squealed when he lifted her up into his embrace. She could tell Jean was excited too. She could see it in her smile and in the way she greeted Lucien when he stepped off the bus. A demeanor that quickly fell when she spotted Joy McDonald walk around the bus and place her hand on Lucien's arm.

Mattie didn't like the way Joy looked at Lucien, like she was going to devour him. She didn't like the way she felt Jean tense beside her. Mattie instinctively took a step closer to Jean when Joy's eyes landed on her. Her gaze felt so… intense, like she was trying to pull some sort of secret out of them that they wished would stay hidden. It made her wonder about how much time Lucien had spent with Joy and how much he had told her.

Once they ventured away from the bus and Joy, Jean leaned in to whisper to Lucien, looking around as she did.

"The superintendent needs to see you, he says there's been some suspicious activity around to hall. Something leaning towards the mystic if you catch my drift."

He grinned back at her conspiratorially.

"Well I guess you better drop me off then and explain on the way."

Mattie listened intently as Jean recounted what Superintendent Lawson had told her. There was some form of camouflage being that was being hunted by a poacher.

"Wait a poacher?" Mattie interrupted, "you mean like the people who who kill animals? But we're going to the town hall."

"You see, Mattie, mystic poachers are a bit more challenging. They follow the creatures wherever they go which as you know, sometimes means into a city or crowded place. It's our job to keep them safe and try to stop the problem." Lucien explained, turning his torso to face her in the back seat as he spoke.

She thought she heard Jean murmur something to Lucien about someone already getting killed over it but her voice was too low to truly make out what she said.

Mattie tried not to pout as she and Jean made their way back home, both adults agreeing that Mattie couldn't accompany him to the scene. Sometimes she forgot that the exhilarating world she had been immersed in was dangerous as well.

* * *

Mattie had awoken in the middle of the night to voices coming from the study which were fairly audible in her room.

"Lucien you can't just carelessly throw out bits of information to her. This isn't her world. She doesn't understand the kind of repercussions that come with it."

"Jean, Joy just wants to help us track down the man who's doing this."

She had fallen back asleep before she could hear anything else.

Mattie had grown worried when Lucien didn't come home after checking out a lead on the case a few days later. She could tell Jean was weary as well. She felt the atmosphere change after Lucien had gotten that call. The one that told him Ms. McDonald was dead and Mattie felt a bit of a shiver. The world of myths and magic was dangerous when the wrong people were involved, people that were still out there. She had waited out in the hall of the police station when Jean brought Lucien lunch. She didn't think she would be allowed in the main office and she wasn't ready to see Lucien grieving. When he finally arrived home she wrapped her arms around him, letting him know it was okay to be upset and that she was glad he was back. As requested, he told her about some of the native beings he had crossed paths with while on his trip. Even in his low mood he managed to make his stories exciting and fascinating as they usually were. She begged him to tell her more even as her eyes drooped. With Jean's insistence, she dragged herself to bed, quickly settling in. She was just about to sleep when she heard voices through the wall again.

"I'm just not quite sure what I should do. Everything has changed. Danny's left, Joy's gone, Mattie's getting older and my own daughter doesn't want to see me."

Mattie thought she heard the floor creak and Jean's voice sounded closer to the spot where Lucien's had just been.

"I'm sure that's not true and not everything has changed Lucien. Mattie still adores you, your work is still here," she thought she heard another shift, "I'm still here."

"Yes I suppose you're right," there was a pause, "on that note I should go down and check on everyone before I head to bed."

"Goodnight Lucien."

"Goodnight Jean."


	6. Chapter 6

" _That is not funny, Miss O'Brien."_

 _Mattie would beg to differ as she stifled a giggle behind her hand and watched as Charlie attempted to clean the mud off his finely pressed shirt. Charlie was the newest addition to the team. Deciding Lucien needed protection from the poacher that was still loose and hostile as well as from himself, Superintendent Lawson had assigned Charlie as both a guard and a helping hand in the Center. Being eighteen years of age and freshly out of the academy, Lawson believed him to be the best and most open minded for the job._

 _Mattie found him to be very straight-laced and no-nonsense, all of which she didn't enjoy. He didn't seem to enjoy anything she did in the Center, her prank being the most recent. Why should she warn him that the "ugly mud sprites" actually threw mud when they were offended, which was almost all the time?_

As time had passed, they had both softened to each other and laughed over that memory. Even Jean finally welcomed his help around the house once he moved into the Blake residence. Spending a few weeks in the Blake residence as well while her parents were out on business, Mattie started to think of Charlie as a brother in her strange makeshift family. She liked that he could reach the stuff on the top shelf, he listened and commented on her theories, and he even began to laugh at her jokes.

She more specifically noticed a change in him when Saphira was put under his care. She was the camouflage being that was being hunted by the poacher that night. It was revealed, with Frank's interpretation that leopard-esque creature had actually escaped from the poacher's cage rather than being hunted from the wild. Starting as a defensive creature, it was amazing to see the transformation and progress they had made. Saphira had a wheezy laugh most commonly delivered in the form of a snicker. If her tail, which was damaged in her escape and would no longer blend with her surroundings, didn't give her away during hide and seek that snicker of hers most definitely would. Once she had settled into the Center they had learned that she has a very loving nature and is also behind a great number of pranks. The crew agreed it was good that she maintained a sense of humor because, with her injury, she would not be allowed out in the wild for some time. Mattie worried about Charlie's reaction to Saphira's nature, fearing his upset would cause the creature to lose progress but he had quite the opposite reaction to her. He instead opted to laugh and run his hand over her back. Mattie thought they were good for each other, companions to help with the transition to Ballarat.

They began to take daily walks about town, testing out Doctor Harvey's invention to help Saphira's tail transition as well. While simultaneously ensuring Saphira menovered safely, Charlie watched over Mattie protectively when they went into town, giving a smirk when she began to rant about her day and the injustice of being forced to listen to her droll teacher. They discussed cases with Superintendent Lawson who looked weary every time Saphira would lovingly brush along is leg like a housecat.

Their daily routine had created a mutual understanding between Mattie and Charlie. She imagined him to be the big brother she didn't have and he watched over her protectively as a brother would. All of which she would be very grateful for in the days to come.

* * *

(Note: Sorry this is rough and took so long to come out. I was feeling super down. The next chapter will be better and up soon.)


	7. Chapter 7

There was an odd tension that had began to build itself up with the months that had passed. There was something off between Lucien and Jean and for the first time, Mattie thought she would be relieved when she went on summer holiday. The air in the room stiffened a bit after Jean had brought a date home. Nothing came from it, with the exception of bickering words between her and Lucien. Mattie hadn't seen him come around in a while and when she asked Jean about it she just brushed it off as nothing important, telling her he wouldn't be coming around anymore. She frowned at the touch of sadness in Jean's eyes and gave her hand a squeeze but left it at that.

Mattie had recently taken to reminding Lucien of important dates and warning him of his mood in attempt to ease some of the tension, which had minor success. "You need to be very nice to her." "Maybe adding a thank you or a touch of appreciation around the house would be nice." "Next week is Jean's birthday." Lucien was slowly learning to be more considerate when it came to how he directly affected Jean but she was still not safe from his indirect effects. The ones that left Jean constantly defending Lucien and even her own standing. Mattie knew what was being said, she heard the whispers that were spread around town.

Personal issues aside, and there seemed to be many, tensions were also caused from knowing there was still a poacher on the rise. A person out there who's goal in life was to do the exact opposite of what they did at the Center. Finding two creatures mutilated and knowing there was nothing anyone could do about it seemed to dampen everyone's spirits. That and the threat it posed to their lives as well. After all, a criminal doesn't get away with something like this for this long because he or she is kind.

So yes, Mattie was thrilled to be out on holiday. Away from the tensions and drama of her secret world. That being said, she still adored the letters she and Jean wrote back and forth. Her son, Jack, had come to visit after a stint in jail and although Mattie would have liked to meet him, Jean said he probably wouldn't be coming around. That she would love to have him close to her but he was off with his friends, travelling. Jean's careful script wavered a bit on those sentences and Mattie wondered what that meant. On a lighter note, her oldest, Christopher, was being stationed in Adelaide and she was thrilled to have him closer. Jean claimed she and Lucien were getting on much better lately when Mattie had inquired but Mattie thought she would believe that when she saw it for herself. The final thing they had discussed (in secret of course) was the status of the poacher who was still on the rise. Mattie worried for them while she was away. Worried for the creatures who dwelled in the wild, away from the safety of the Center. She couldn't fathom how someone could do something so evil. The horrors Mattie saw when she snuck into Dr. Harvey's exam room were burned into her mind. Creatures lying lifeless, missing beaks and fur. She still felt the threat of tears swell when she thought about it.

P.S. Lucien and Charlie send their love.

Upon Mattie's return, she had noticed a bit of camaraderie between Lucien and Jean. The uncomfortable tension was eased and replaced by something else entirely but Mattie couldn't put her finger on it. She asked Charlie about it. She knew he would tell her, of course, after he told her it was none of their business. He told her about Jack's visit, how awful the tension was and how broken Jean seemed, how she and Lucien seemed to form a common understanding after Jack left. He noticed them communicating better in the Center as well after a few cases, like they shared something they hadn't before. Mattie was relieved. She didn't like seeing them at odds, pretending that they weren't for her sake. She did try her best to hide her beaming smile every time she saw a touch that lingered a bit too long or heard comments offered to one another in a conspiratorial tone.

She had been so relieved at the changes within the Blake residence that she almost forgot about the trouble that surrounded them. Almost.

Playing in the garden with Saphira one day had caused that air of uncertainty to arise once again. Saphira had been flaunting her art of camouflage, vanishing into the air, her purring and constant brushing reassuring Mattie that she was still there. Lucien watched them fondly from the window within the house. A man had walked up the path to the Blake residence and gave Mattie a nod as he passed. He had a bandage wrapped around the arm he was holding to his chest. Mattie would have wondered at the identity of this strange man she had never crossed paths with if she had not had a more concerning situation at her side.

Beside her, Saphira was letting out a low growl and Mattie could feel the air shift as the wildcat paced in front of her. As soon as the man's back had turned Mattie suddenly felt as though she was being pushed. She was being pushed. Saphira was pushing he her into the secret entrance of the Center with much force, her tail constantly wrapping around Mattie in a possessive manner. She hadn't even looked up to see Lucien disappear from the window with an apprehensive look on his face.

Feeling a bit shell shocked from the sudden shift in mood, Mattie allowed Saphira to lead her back to her habitat, sitting with her, listening to the sounds from upstairs. She couldn't make out any words but she heard murmurs and footsteps. The initial tone was Jean's, most likely welcoming the man into the surgery, then came Lucien's. Even without words she recognized that tone, the one that was incredibly pleasant and incredibly fake, the one he used around high society folks whose company he didn't truly enjoy. Something was wrong and she didn't know what. She thought it would be best if she stayed down in the Center until the man left, Saphira still needed comfort and to feel as though she was protecting Mattie anyway.

It was well after the strange man had left that Mattie had awoken to fingers gently brushing the hair away from her face. She knew it was Jean, she always had a gentle way about her when it came to Mattie. The serenity that easily flowed was suddenly drained away as the memories from earlier flooded back. When had she fallen asleep? What time was it? How could she have fallen asleep when she had something important to tell him?

"Where's Lucien? I need to tell him something. It's important." She sputtered, jolting upright, adrenaline threatening to fill her veins. She couldn't fight the feeling that something was off.

"Lucien's out for a bit, said he needed to check on something for a case. I'm sure he'll be back soon, he's been out for a while."

"No, that man. I need to tell him. Saphira, she knew him. He needs to know." She gasped in short sentences, trying to ground herself with the feeling of Jean's steadying hands on her shoulders as she wavered from getting up too quickly.

"Darling, I need you to breathe for me okay? Take a deep breath and tell me what happened."

Doing as she was told, Mattie took a shaky breath and recounted her story of what had happened earlier to Jean and watched as the understanding formed in her eyes.

"He knows." She breathed, more to herself then to Mattie.

Without breaking her gentle guise, the panic threatening to break through, Jean guided Mattie upstairs and immediately went to the phone.

"Yes, Matthew, it's Jean. It's about Lucien. I think he's in danger."

Mattie listened as Jean recounted the story to the Superintendent, filling in the blanks as to what Mattie missed upstairs as well as any information she had on the man. She tried to stay calm but it was proving to a challenge. She heard Jean sound somewhat desperate when she implored them to find Lucien before hanging up and settling into the chair next to Mattie.

Nearly two hours had passed since Jean had called with Mattie's revelation. Mattie tried to focus on the soothing motions of Jean's thumb running over the back of her hand as it sat below hers on the table. Their tea was long gone and their nerves now truly had time to settle in. Mattie was fighting off sleep, her head beginning to droop a bit lower, and she could tell Jean was about to persuade her to go to bed by the way her hand shifted to brush through Mattie's hair. She had just opened her mouth to tell her so when a shrill ring of the phone broke the silence, sending them both rigid as Jean quickly rose to answer.

"Oh Matthew, I was just about to call you to check in, I -," Mattie heard the air leave Jean's lungs as she froze. "Is he? Okay. Y-yes, we'll meet you at the hospital then."

Mattie felt her stomach drop as Jean turned to her, eye's reflecting the same emotions as Mattie's although hiding them better.

What had Lucien gotten himself into?

* * *

(Notes: Hey guys, I just wanted to thank everyone who commented with kind words after the last chapter, I really appreciated them. Hopefully this chapter makes up for the last couple chapters a bit.)


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